David Jacobs-Strain is a fierce slide guitar player and song poet, known both for his virtuosity and spirit of emotional abandon. Jacobs-Strain began playing on street corners and at farmers markets in his hometown of Eugene, Oregon, as a teenager, and bought his first steel guitar with the quarters he saved up. Before dropping out of Stanford to play full time, he had already appeared at festivals across the country, often billed as a blues prodigy, but he had to fight to avoid being a novelty act: “I wanted to tell new stories, it just wasn’t enough to relive the feelings in other people’s music.” Since then, Jacobs-Strain’s ability to capture emotional intensity in a deeply personal way has made him a mainstay at festivals such as Strawberry, MerleFest, the Vancouver Folk Festival, and Telluride Blues. His guitar work, both thundering and shimmering, has landed him onstage alongside Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, Los Lobos, Etta James, and Del McCoury. Boz Scaggs chose him to open for two different summer tours. At David Grisman‘s invitation Jacobs-Strain appeared alongside many of the nation’s great string players on the Tone Poets compilation.

Eloise & Co. features the combined creative force of two of the country’s most sought-after dance musicians, Becky Tracy and Rachel Bell. These two crank out dance and concert music with unbridled energy and soaring beauty. Their depth and versatility is evident not only in their dynamic playing but also in their rich and unique repertoire, ranging from exciting original compositions to rock-solid traditional tunes. Eloise & Co. was born out of Becky and Rachel’s transcendent melodic connection, their shared love for powerful rhythmic momentum, and their joy in making music together. The blissful vibe is contagious, drawing everyone in the room into a sublime and memorable experience.

Lindsay McCaw and Aaron Jonah Lewis–both champion multi-instrumentalists and singers, and two-thirds of the inimitable Corn Potato String Band–are rolling through town, and stopping over for a Chenango Craftsman Session. As you may remember, Aaron played our inaugural houseconcert with Ben Belcher, the other third of CPSB. So it’s the Corn Potato Duo again, but different! As if that’s not enough, Emily Keener will be in town to open the show. Emily turned the chairs of all four coaches to become a finalist in Season 10 of The Voice, and is the winner of the 2017 No Depression Singer-Songwriter Award.

Presented in cooperation with Witness For Peace — Renowned Honduran resistance singer, feminist organizer, poet and performer Karla Lara performs with virtuoso jazz musician, pianist and composer José Antonio Velásquez. Their music addresses the struggle for justice and self-determination against the forces of capitalism, racism, and patriarchy in Honduras and globally. They sing to free those who have been unjustly incarcerated and denied their right to protest, about our world, and about this powerful time when women continue to be present and to “live life singing”!

May 16th, 2018 at 7:30 pmPotluck and doors at 6:30 pmChenango Craftsman HC in Binghamton, NY$10 donation (100% to the artist)